beauty is terror
by bonewishes
Summary: There are wolves in the forest, or just a wolf really, and Tsuna isn't too keen on dealing with it. No one can do it but him though, at least that's what his tutor says and really, that guy is just full of bad ideas. Not like Tsuna can really get out of this, so all he can do is hope he survives the night.


**A/N:**

do you ever just make an entire au verse just make a oneshot. i need to stop doing this.

excuse any mistakes you see. i'm trying my best and i'm always tired.

* * *

The moon, full and at its zenith, provides the bare minimum amount of light needed to maneuver the forest at such a late hour. Tsuna remembers to tread lightly as he can whenever possible, but finds it hard to do so when it's dark and his nerves are high. It's completely silent, save for the occasional hoot of far off owl and the sound of leaves and twigs breaking underfoot. It would feel calmer if the stakes weren't so high.

Venturing out into the forest during the full moon is a foolhardy endeavor, one that locals speak out against often for the safety of everyone. There are always rumors (true stories more like) of men turning into wolves and merchants disappearing suddenly, with only blood stained carts and giant paw prints as evidence of their struggle. Tsuna had heeded the warnings of the forest while growing up, often afraid for his safety even within the confines of the village. He made sure to give even the entrance a wide enough space when he needed to pass it.

It was simple and safe that way, until a man proclaiming to be his new tutor appeared and informed Tsuna that he was to be the next heir of one of the most infamous hunting organizations in the underworld. Suddenly, Tsuna's days are spent training with knives and learning how to scale trees and studying names of people he's never even heard of before and elusive creatures that nobody has seen or encountered and come back alive from for decades.

All of it is more than a little ridiculous now that he thinks about it and definitely overwhelming to deal with, but he has very little say in the matter concerning the direction his life is now headed, something that still irks him half a year down the line.

Reborn had recently deemed his charge trained just enough to begin the makings of a _family_ and sent Tsuna off into the woods armed with nothing but a red cloak that sits heavily across his thin shoulders and a pair of leather boots and gloves as protection. He still doesn't really know the schematics of all that is happening; just that he has to find the lycan that's been terrorizing the locals lately and convince them to join his cause. Whatever that may be, Tsuna himself doesn't even know yet and Reborn only seems keen on telling him the bare minimum, which isn't enough at all.

"How do you even know it's a lycan?" Tsuna had asked after he was given his task two days prior, still unable to understand why he of all people had to deal with this mess.

Reborn had shrug easily, because he had shoulders made for shrugging, and smirked, eyes hidden under the brim of his hat. "Bigger tracks than that of your average werewolf and it leaves less of a mess, so it's obviously smarter. Actually pay attention during lessons next time."

Tsuna had blushed an indignant shade of red but didn't ask any more questions on the subject after that, too annoyed to deal with his tutor's responses that would no doubt insult him in some way.

He probably should have asked more questions though, because now he's wondering just how strong the lycan he's supposed to be finding is. Reborn had told him full grown males could be as large as over five feet, nearly six depending, with teeth like razors and claws like knives. The thought of running into one that big makes him shudder beneath his cloak and sweat run down his temple despite the humidity curling in the summer air.

Maybe he can turn back and go home, tell Reborn he couldn't locate who he's looking for, and leave it at that. It won't work of course, because the lycan will keep terrorizing the village until there's barely a handful of livestock left or maybe even move onto preying on the villagers if it's advantageous enough. There are always stories about that happening in the mountains, where it's more difficult for help to arrive in a timely manner.

Tsuna doesn't understand why a proper hunting party wasn't sent out to help his village already, though he supposes it has something to do with Reborn already being there. The tutor had told Tsuna time and time again that he was one of the best hunters in the world and the teen felt inclined to believe that, if only for the fact that he had a brief glimpse of a mere portion of the weaponry Reborn seemed to have on hand at all times. Tsuna knows he at least carries a gun with him everywhere and has a sliver knife or two hidden in his boots, and that's only because he allowed Tsuna to see them. Who knows what else Reborn has on his person? Tsuna guesses a small armory at this point really.

Even if he's more than qualified to do the work, Reborn wouldn't do any of it, not when Tsuna was his to train and more or less push around. It was like his rite of passage or something similar to that. He just knew it was another step further into a life he has no interest in.

There's a new wave of frustration that coils in his stomach and Tsuna's prepared to turn around and walk right back to the village and complain about the absurdity of this task, never mind the fact that his predecessors did something similar. Tsuna is not any of them. He is himself and never in his life would he have thought of venturing into the forest to make an ally with a lycan of all creatures. It's like he's willingly marched to his death with little to no information at all.

Feet are posed to make the walk back home, when there's the sound of a snapping branch nearby, much too close to be of any comfort. With the night having been quiet as normal thus far, the simple noise is enough to cause Tsuna to quickly raise his defenses and try his best to tune into his surroundings. He scans the encompassing trees, having been out here long enough to adjust to the dark and moonlight to see things clearly enough that he isn't stumbling around half blind.

Maybe he's just imagining things at this point, the mind always gets a little creative when he's nervous and missing home. He thinks that, but he doesn't expect a heavy something to crash into him so suddenly, easily sending his smaller than average frame careening into a tree. The impact shakes him to his bones and makes stars burst behind his eyelids, it's a wonder something isn't broken.

The world isn't there for a moment; it isn't there until suddenly it is, all fuzzy and a little tilted but it's just enough. Just enough for him to make out the hulking figure of a wolf – lycan he corrects himself, it's much too big to be anything but – standing a few meters away, its lips parted and a growl emitting deep from its throat and muscles ready to attack once more.

Tsuna has never been more grateful for his quick ability to evade, years of bullying has taught him how to at least get out the way quickly enough. Even without the extra training with Reborn, he can at least do that much himself; roll out the way just as the creature lunges with its maw wide and all the teeth on display.

Tsuna is quick to scramble to his feet, the lycan disoriented and slowed from hitting the tree rather than its initial target. He doesn't even bother looking back before running in the direction he hopes is homeward. A voice that sounds terribly like Reborn is telling Tsuna to actually stop and face the beast to finish the task assigned, but Tsuna's self-preservation wins out and he quickly shuts down the voice, puts all his focus into running as fast as he can.

How could Reborn send him out here without a proper weapon at the very least? It's like he was sending Tsuna off to a bloody and painful death. Even the simplest of silver daggers would be better to have than nothing at all. It probably wouldn't give him of all people a fighting chance against the lycan, but it would give him enough time to actually escape, maybe even cause some damage if he got lucky enough.

He doesn't know how he's doing it, outrunning the great beast at night no less. He probably isn't though, not really. It's hard to ignore the flashes of silver through the trees at his periphery and he can't block out the sound of paws of hitting the ground, heavy like drums.

It's his own personal funeral march.

Tsuna will die as he lived, a boy coward that would rather run than face anything head on. Not that he necessarily cares; they call him no good for a reason. He has just come to accept it early on in his life.

 _(Years later though, his name will be spoken in the same breath as the greatest of legends and those that the common men liken to gods._

 _He does not know this yet, nor will he believe it if told._

 _He is only sixteen and just starting this journey. It is hard for him to believe much of anything.)_

Training with Reborn has done him some good, Tsuna does not tire out as quickly as he would have a few months prior, but he is only human and eventually grows tired nonetheless. His lungs burn and legs ache and eyes become blurry and sting when sweat falls into them.

It's easy for him to trip over a root like a fool and scratch his head against a nearby rock. At least it didn't hit it completely, but that doesn't matter, not when he feels presence looming over his body.

Nothing happens, but Tsuna is too fearful to make his escape, so he takes the chance and turns. It's a foolish move, showing all his vulnerable parts to the lycan towering over him, but Tsuna never claimed to be smart or cut out for this hunting business, now proves that more than ever.

The creature that has him trapped, gods above, is terrifying. The beautiful sort of terrifying though, that Tsuna can't help but admire and fear all at once. It's the same sort of feeling he gets when summer brings along the worst of the storms.

The moon gleams off silver fur and creates an image that many people have probably seen but not one has lived to tell about it.

Tsuna thinks that if he has to die right now, he's lucky it's done on such a beautiful night.

* * *

Tsuna eases awake to the smell of coffee and the sound of dishes moving about. He groans but doesn't open his eyes, rather he pulls the covers over his head and wonders why he decided to fall asleep on the couch of all place. Actually he doesn't even remember getting home last night. There was the forest and the lycan and…

He sits up quickly, abrupt enough that his limbs get tangled up in the cover and he falls off of the bed he's been occupying. The sharp throbbing in his head and overall ache of his body reminds him that he took more than a few falls last night, maybe last night, he can't be sure of how long he was sleeping. Gingerly, he touches the spot where it hurts and is surprised to find a bandage placed there.

How odd.

Once free of the tangled mess, Tsuna glances down at his clothes. They aren't his there's no doubt about it, they're bigger, but he's small for his age so it isn't that much of a surprise. He stands and gives the room he's in a quick look around. It's small, with only a bed and a drawer and a desk, but there are books in large stacks piled everywhere and complicated looking sketches on the walls and candles burned all the way down. A definite fire hazard if he's ever seen one.

He must have landed himself in a scholar's house. He's heard of them living out in secluded areas if they weren't working in the capital or larger cities, but never has Tsuna met one himself.

It's a little exciting to think about.

Slowly he heads out the door of the room and down the small hallway, mentally preparing himself to greet his technical savior and thank them and ask questions get his full bearings back. The world has a cruel way of seeing to that nothing goes in Tsuna's favor though. Case in point being the fact that there isn't a kindly old man or woman sitting at the table sipping coffee, rather there's someone his age with their nose buried in a book. The stranger possesses ears that are long and furry rather than human like and a tail that isn't normal, Tsuna deems this outcome rather strange.

"It's rude to just stand and stare." Says the stranger, in a voice that's rough and Tsuna wouldn't be surprised if a growled followed after, but one doesn't and he likes that outcome a lot better.

The words shock him into action though, causing him to edge towards the table with cautious steps. He doesn't even get a glance sparred in his direction, so he takes that as a sign that it's safe to continue on. Tsuna carefully places himself down in the only other chair at the table and fidgets due to nerves.

He doesn't know what to expect and that's the scary part.

Minutes pass, or maybe it's just seconds, before the other moves again. This time setting the book down and Tsuna sees a flash of long nails and has to suppress a noise that sticks to the back of his throat.

"I was finishing up some reading." Says the possible owner of the house, tone conversational despite the strange circumstances.

He's got silver hair and eyes green like bottle glass and features pretty enough to either be foreign or just inhuman. He flashes Tsuna grin that has no teeth but there's a wolf in the curl of his lips and glimmer in his eyes. Definitely not human then.

"Oh, uhm –that's, that's fine." Tsuna decides to play friendly, because what else can he do really? "I'm sorry, if this seems really –I don't know, intrusive to ask, but were you th-the wolf from last night?"

"No." his expression goes from mild to extremely annoyed, eyes narrowed and a frown on his face. The underlying threat in his voice makes Tsuna involuntarily squeak from alarm. "There's a difference between werewolves and lycans. So no, I'm not the wolf from last night."

Oh, Tsuna knew that already, but he figured it didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things since they both can turn into large and hulking canines and kill a man fairly easily. He guesses it does though, at least to one that's actually a part of that species. He supposes he should be more sensitive about word choice now.

"Sorry. I meant to say lycan, just a slip up."

His effort to smooth things over gets rewarded with a not as vexed expression, though there's still that frown in place.

"Yeah that was me."

"Oh," that confession was easier than expected, but he doesn't think there's much to deny anyway. "well my name is Tsuna. Why didn't –why didn't you kill me last night? I was sure you were going to."

"Are you upset that I didn't?"

"No! No, of course not! I'm just – I was just sort of expecting it since you know – you chased me down and had your teeth at my throat before I passed out."

"I was, but I changed my mind obviously."

"Really?" that just makes him even more confused since Tsuna isn't too good at convincing people not to hurt him, especially when unconscious. "Uhm, why?"

The lycan's skin is pale in this form, so it's easy to see the blush that rises to his cheeks even though he turns his head to try and hide it. "You were different, are different."

"Really?" Very articulate.

"Yes really!" the lycan sighs, greatly annoyed now.

Tsuna gets to catch a glimpse of sharp teeth and it takes everything in him not to run out the door in that moment. It doesn't seem like it would take much to rile the other up and Tsuna doesn't want to be on the receiving end of those teeth again.

As if sensing the sudden spike in fear, the other teen relaxes his tensed shoulders and sighs deeply once more, but less annoyed and more tired. The silence that follows is tense and awkward, as it always is with strangers. Tsuna tends to avoid as many conversations as he can just for this very reason.

He swallows thickly, figures they can't just sit in silence like this forever. "How was I different, if you don't mind me asking?"

"You're a _hunter_ right?" the lycan ask, spitting the word out like it's something bad and terrible, and to him it probably is. He's got his arms crossed and nails digging into his arms, it's a wonder he doesn't bleed. "You're a hunter, but the entire time you were walking around I couldn't sense a single killing intent on you. When I had you pinned, ready to rip your throat out, (Tsuna flinches at this but it gets ignored) you sort of looked at me weird and patted my muzzle like I was some common house mutt and then passed out."

Oh, Tsuna doesn't remember the last part but decides not to mention it. It's a bit embarrassing to think he did such a brazen thing in a disoriented state. "Well, to be fair, I wasn't really intent on killing you."

"What?" Tsuna gets a look of shock and disbelieve.

"My tutor sent me out into the forest, told me to recruit the lycan in the forest for the family." He shrugs meekly and resists the urge to try disappearing in his chair. This is so weird.

"You're one of _those_ hunters?" green eyes shine with childish wonder.

"I guess." Tsuna rubs his hand along the back of his neck. "I'm still new to this so…"

"And you wanted _me_?"

"My tutor said that you seemed smart and capable since it's been months and no one's even seen you yet so…"

"I guess I am. I don't like to brag, but I'm good at a lot of stuff."

It's suddenly a bit endearing, seeing a lycan trying not to boast about skills. His cheeks are red from the praise and his eyes shine, like someone who isn't used to getting acknowledged for his capabilities. Maybe he doesn't. It hits Tsuna, finally hits him, that this is someone his age out here alone, a kid that gets hunted and then demonized for killing to protect himself when it's either that or die. A kid that likes to read and seems really smart and wags his tail and probably doesn't realize when it happens because he makes no move to stop it.

For someone that can turn into a large wolf, this boy is very much human.

"You seem really smart, so I think you have every right to brag." Tsuna says and his voice feels the most confident it has been in ages. "So even if you don't want to really join me, I think I'd be really interested in getting to know you, since you spared me and even let me borrow your bed and some clothes."

"Like friends?" he seems taken aback, a little wary, but Tsuna can't blame him. He's probably never gotten this type of offer before, and honestly neither has Tsuna.

"If you want. I'd like that."

It's quiet for a few seconds, before he gives a wide grin that all teeth and extremely friendly. Tsuna can't help grinning back, feeling like he's done something truly amazing for the first time in his life.

"Why not? Call me Hayato."

* * *

 **A/N:**

I probably won't expand on this au just because it would need a lot of thought and I've only thought about the bare minimum amount to get this oneshot written and make some sense so whatever. If you have questions about, I'll be happy to/try to give you answers for them.

Thank you for reading! Reviews and kudos are greatly appreciated.


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